Life-raft.



No. 678,297. Patented July 9, NH".

J. V. JANIN.

LIFE RAFT.

(Application filed 1m. as, 1901. (No Model.)

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Patented July 9, IBM. J. V. JANIN.

LIFE RAFT.-

(Application filed 1m. 2a, 1901.

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J. V.-JAN|N.

LIFE RAFT.

(Application filed u 29, 1901. (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Shem 3. I

v No. 678,297- Patented July 9,1901.

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ATTORNEYS nu: noun: runs w. movouma 'wmusromp c UNITED STATES:

PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN VALENTINE JANIN, OF SEATTLE, WASHINGTON, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- HALF TOCONSTANT 'GLAEYS, -OF SAME PLACE.

I LIFE-RAFT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 678,297, dated July 9,1901. Application filed March 28,1901. Serial No. 53,195. (no model.)

To allwhom it may concern.-

Be it known that L'JOHN VALENTINE J ANIN, a citizen of the UnitedStates,'and a resident of Seattle, in the county of King and State ofWashington, have invented a new and Improved Life-Raft, of which thefollowing is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to improvements in pneumatic life-rafts; and theobject is to provide a life-raft 'of simple construction that shall belight, yet strong and serviceable, and having means attached to itwhereby it may be quickly inflated, either when floating or onshipboard.

I will describe a life-raft embodying my invention and then point outthe novel features in the appended claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming apart ofthis specification, in which similar characters of reference indicatecorresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a plan view of a pneumatic liferaft embodying my invention.Fig. 2 is a transverse section on the line a: m of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is anend View, on an enlarged scale, of one of the deck portions and thecentral pocket indicated in longitudinal section on the'line y y ofFig. 1. Fig. 4 is a transverse section of the central pocket. Fig. 5 isa similar section showing one of'the side pockets. Fig. 6 is a sectionof the pump casing and a pump therein in its raised position. Fig. 7 isa transverse section of the casing on the line 2 z of Fig. 6. Fig- 8 isa vertical section on the line to w of Fig. 6, showing the pivotalconnection of the pump-body. Fig. 9 is an end elevation of a brokenportion of one end ofthe pump-casing. Figs. 10 and 11 are plan views ofperforated disks or valveseats employed in the pump-barrel. Figs. 12 and13 are side and end elevations, respectively, of rope-holding bracketsemployed. Fig. 14. is a plan view showing a'slight modification. Fig. 15is a section on the line y y of Fig. 14. .Fig. 16 is a section on theline a z of Fig. 14. Fig. 17 is a section on the line w w of Fig. 15.Fig. 18 is a section showing a modified form'of pump, and Fig. 19 is asection at right angles to Fig. 18.

The body portion of the life-raft comprises a casing 1, adapted to beinflated and consistin g, preferably, of canvas or like material madeimpervious to air and water. For the purpose of giving proper strengthto the body portion 1 have divided it' into compartments 5 5 by crosspartitions 2 and 3, openings being provided at the ends, as indicated at4., so that the inflating air 'or gas may circulate from one compartmentto another. These partitions may consist of two strips of flexible ma 6oterial attached together and having out weirdly-extended flange portionssecured to the top and bottom of the body portion, as shown at theleft-hand side of Fig. 2, or they may consist of single strips havingflange portions attached tothem and secured to the body portion, asindicated at the right-hand side of Fig. 2. The partitions 2 and 3 servealso to prevent the raft from assuming a ball or bag shape wheninflated.

Arranged longitudinally on opposite sides and at the outer portion ofthe body portion are pockets 5 for containing cork or similar material6, and at the central portion, at each side of the raft, is a pumpcasing or receiver 7. This pump casing or receiver is closed at its endsand inner side, but open at the outer side. From the ends of the pumpcasing or receiver pockets 8 are extended parallel with the pocket 5,and they have their ends and rear edges secured to the material of thebody portion in any desired manner. The inner ends of said pockets aresecured to flange portions 9 on the end walls of the pump casing orreceiver. Blocks 10 of cork or the like are arranged in the pockets 8,and these pock= ets and cork fillings areheld rigidly by means of ropesor similar connections 11, which at one end pass through openings in'the end walls of the pump casing or receiver and are enlarged at theinner end to prevent them from slipping through said openings, and atthe opposite or outer ends the ropes are connected to screw-rods 12,which pass through brackets 13, attached to the body portion, and 5adjusting-nuts 14 engage with the screw-rods at the outer side of thebrackets, as plainly indicated in the drawings. Obviously bymanipulating these nuts 14. the cork blocks will be clamped closelytogether and the parts will 10o beheldsubstantially rigid.Attheoutersides of the brackets I preferably place a filling 15, ofgranulated cork.

Extended through the inner wall of the pump casing or receiver andcommunicating with the interior of the body portion is a tube 16, whichcommunicates or is connected to a cylinder T-head 17, provided with anairinlet opening 18 at its top. In Fig. 8 I have shown heads 19 for theT as engaged therewith by screw-threads. The heads, however, may besecured in place by means of a bolt 20, as indicated in Fig. 7.

Mounted to swing on the T 17 is a pumpcylinder 21. This pump-cylinder 21is connected to a tube 22, which has a collar 23 surrounding the T 17,and this collar 23 has an opening 24 at one side, so that the pump maybe swung downward. The opposite side 25, however, is closed, so as toclose the opening 18 to prevent an escape of the inflating me dium whenthe pump is turned downward in the casing. A spring 26 is attached tothe sleeve 23, and this spring has a pin 27, adapted to engage inperforations in the upper side of the T 17 for the purpose of holdingthe pump in a vertical position when in use and also to engage in aperforation formed in the side of said T to hold the pump in itsposition in the casing.

hen the pump is turned into the casing, it rests upon a yoke 28,attached to a screwblock 29, engaging in a tubular boss 30, communicating with the interior of the body portion, so that by removing thesaid block 29 the body portion may be deflated. A perforated piston 31is operated in the pump-cylinder by means of the piston'rod 32,- and onthe lower side of this piston 31 is a flexible disk valve 33. Arrangedat the lower portion of the pump-cylinder or barrel is a perforated disk34, forming the seat for a flexible valve 35, which is attached to saiddisk by means of a bolt or screw, as plainly indicated.

When preparing the device for use, it is obvious that it may be inflatedby operating either one or both ofthe pumpsthat is, while the raft is onboard a Vessel or the like. \Vhen the device is afloat, however, thepump at the upper side will be used for inflating, if found necessary.Life-lines 36 are shown as secured to the opposite sides of the raft,said lines being connected to the several pockets, as indicated inFig. 1. When the device is deflated and not in use, it may be rolledcompactly together for storage or transportation.

In the modification shown in Figs. 14, 15, and 17 I have shown inaddition to the cork filling for the central pocket 8 metal or woodplates 37, which extend from the ends of the pump-receiving casing tothe ends of the pocket. These plates are tapered from their inner endsdownward toward their outer ends, and the plates are secured tobaseplates 38 by means of screws or otherwise,

these base-plates 38 also extending throughout the length of the pocket.

In Fig. 16 I have shown a side pocket 39 as made cylindrical throughoutits length and attached to the bodyportion 1 by means of a web 40, theweb 40 being of sufficient width to allow the pocket containing the corkto swing laterally.

In the modified form of pump shown in Figs. 18 and 19 the upper portionof the tube 16 has a projection 41, one surface 42 of which is made flatto receive a corresponding surface 43 on an extension 44 of thepumpbarrel. The plate or surface 42 is provided with opposite triangularports 45, while the plate or fiat surface 43 of the extension 44 isprovided with triangularports 46. The pump is mounted to swing on a boltor rod 47, extended through the said extensions 41 and 44, as plainlyindicated in Fig. 18. In this device when the pump is turned to avertical position the ports 45 and 46 will register, so that air may beforced into the body portion.

When the pump-barrel, however, is turned downward, as indicated indotted lines in Fig. 19, the solid portion of the plates or surfaceswill act as closures for the ports. The pump may be held in its verticalposition by means of a spring 48, attached to the pump and adapted toengage with its free end between lugs on the upper end of the extension41.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent- 1. Alife-raft, comprising an inflatable body portion,pockets arranged on the opposite sides of said body portion, cork orsimilar material in said pockets, and inflating-pumps on opposite sidesof the raft the said pumps being mounted to swing relatively to theraft, substantially as specified.

2. Alife-raft, comprisinganinflatable body portion, a pump casing orreceiver attached to the body portion, and a pump mounted to swing intoand out of said receiver, substantially as specified.

3. A life-raft, comprising an inflatable body portion, pump casings orreceivers arranged on opposite sides thereof, pumps mounted to swinginto and out of said receivers,and means operated by the inward swingingmotion of the pumps for closing the inlets to the body portion,substantially as specified.

4. Alife-raft, comprising an inflatable body portion, cork floatssecured to opposite sides thereof, tubes communicating with the interiorof the body portion, cylinder T-heads on said tubes and having openingsat the top for the entrance of an inflating medium, and pumps mounted toswing on said T-heads and into casings adapted to receive them, substantially as specified.

5. A life-raft, comprising an inflatable body portion divided intocompartments communicating one with another, pump casings or receiverslocated on opposite sides of the body portion, pumps mounted to swinginto and out of said casings, means for securing the pumps in either oneof their adjusted positions, yokes in the casings or receivers uponwhich the pumps may rest, and screw-blocks attached to said yokes andnormally closing the outlet-openings of the body portion, substantiallyas specified.

6. Alife-raft, comprising an inflatable body portion, parallel pocketsarranged on said body portion at opposite sides and spaced apart, corkfillings for said pockets, and an inflating-pump mounted to swingrelatively to the body portion, substantially as specified.

7. Alife-raft,comprisinganinfiatablebody portion, and parallel pocketsarranged on said body portion, the said pockets being cylindrical andhaving web portions attached to said body portion, substantially asspecified.

8. A life-raft, comprising a body portion, a

JOHN VALENTINE J ANIN.

\Vitnesses:

WM. H. SANDERS, O. B. KNOPP.

